Morning journal and courier., 1887-06-13
MEXICAN WAsH-TURs.
They Don,c Exist in Houses and Every
 Stream Becomes a Laundry.

They Don's Exist in Houses and Every Stream Becomes Laundry. From the Kansas City Star]
 To the foreigner in Mexico it is curious and interesting sight to visit the place where the women do the washing for the city thousand Ca few more or less, washing There is no washing done at the res idences The records at Wash ington will show that ten machines have been invented, not one of which has accomplished what the inventor expected or met the representations of the smooth-tongued agent who disposed of them to oredulous housewives. These machines find no market here. In the greater part of Mexico such things as washtubs and boards, patent steam washers or even clothes lines and pins are practically unknown, and it will be long time before any of these arti- cles will be brought into general use by the
 people. The washing is all done by women
 along the margins of the rivers and creeks, which in this country, as well as in our own, so unaccountably find their way to ths cities
 and towns. There these women C1aven-
 deras'O are to be found every day, Sunday
 not excepted, from dozens up to hundreds,
 according to the size of the city. They assume
 the sitting or squstting posture so universal
 with the female 1aborers of this country, hav- ing in front of them and partly resting in the
 water large, flat, smooth stone. Saturating garment in the creek and applying & quar- tity of soap, it is then vigorously rubbed over the stone, which serves as washboard, and is a very good substitute indeed It is often the case that fair-sized stream near a great city is so largely used for such work that it presents the appearance of river of soap-suds. And yet this water is used by the people of the next town below for drink
 ing and culinary purposes, and so far as the taste is concerned they will probably find it none the worse for the good aervics rendered at various places near it's source.
 The garments, after being washed, are spread upon the rocks and gravel beds, and the bright sun, which shines here almost daily for eight months in the year, dries them before one has scarcely had time to turn around. This custom of river washing is necessitated by the scarcity of water. There Is scarcely any part of the country in which either wells or cisterns are to be found. All the drinking water is brought in pipes tapping the river few miles above the city, and is conducted to fountains or basins conveniently located in different sections of the town. To and from these reservoirs dur ing all hours of tho day, but more especially in the morning and evening, 8 constant stream of water carriers go and come. Two men, with barrel swung upon 8 pole, an end of the pole resting upon 8 shoulder of each: bits of boys with two buckets balanced on stick in Japanese fashion; women and girls with allers (round earthen jars) of all sizes on their heads or shoulders, keep up an fn ayod {oin So 1t will be apparent to every one that, with this state of affairs existing, it is more convenient to take the laundry to the river than to carry the water to the house, and this will serve to show why it will be difficult to introduce the use of tub, wash board and clothes-line.
 In many localities the rivers, which in the dry season become reduced to mere rivulets, are the only source of water supply, and are used for almost every conceivable purpose. Innumerable little dikes, dams and ditches are constructed by the scores of women who do washing for living, and who each must have small suppl, of water for daily use. At one place @ tanner may be seen scraping and washing green hides, at another butch er securing tripe. Just below a housewife will be cleaning the boiled corn for the family dinner, while at other points grooms will be engaged in securing horses and a native washing his person in the stream, evidently pondering over the probability of his efforts being rewarded by the recovery of shirt he remembers having put on in other days.
 A few feet from the margin of the river an occasional hole is dug, and the water which filters therein through the sand is used by hundreds of families for all domss- tic purposes. There is so much of this washing and securing done in the river that during the low stage of water the entire stream becomes terribly foul and filthy, and the smells arising therefrom surpass, not only in number, but in variety and intensity those which some one discovered in the streets of Cologne.